Stereotype plate finishing machine



Jan. 9, 1951 c. L. RlcARDs ET AL STEREOTYPE PLATE FINISHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. lO, 1946 lNVENTOR 5 C/LES FICA/P05 l? I5] D0@ TORNSERG BY Qa Lungs muy-W L gw i ATTORN EYS Jal 9, 1951 c. L. RlcARns ET AL 2,537,604

STEREOTYPE PLATE FINISHING MACHINE Filed Sept. l0, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS CHRLES L. P/C/Q/PS ATTORN EYS c.| .R1cARDs ET AL 2,537,604

STEREOTYPE PLATE FINISHING MACHINE Jan. 9, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. lO, 1946 Jan. 9, 1951 c. l.. RlcARDs ETAL STEREOTYPE PLATE FINISHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. lO, 1946 Qwlx e' ATTORNEYS Jan. 9, 1951 c. RlcARDs ET AL STEREOTYPE PLATE FINISHING MACHINE Filed sept. 1o, 194e 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 assied;

Returning now to Figs. 1 and 2, gear segment 65 forms a part of crank member 20, making an obtuse angle with lever arm T3, also part of that member. Gear segment 65 engages elongated pinion 42 which is afxed to shaft 4I.

segmental broaches or shavers 43 are secured to shaft 4I, which is journalled in cylinder I and in brackets 33'and 3l. Shaft 4l is rotated by interaction of gear segment 55 and pinion 42 and makes one complete revolution in each direction for each revolution of shaft 2li. Segmental shavers 4t are spaced apart along and attached to shaft il so that the distance between their cutting surfaces is the finished longitudinal dimension of stereotype plate A between the positioning surfaces C and D, which accommodate longitudinal locating pins on the printing cylinder of a press.

Four registry indicators 43 are provided, adjustable laterally and longitudinally in respect to plate A, on arms 44 which are secured to shafts 45 yin tandem so that rotation of shafts IE5 will carry the arms 44 at both ends with them. Handles 63 are provided to facilitate this movement of arms 44.

Cylinder iV is provided with lateral locating pins 46 and 4l and longitudinal locating pins 4? and 49. Clamping band 2 is hinged on one end to lugs 5c secured to cylinder I and is locked on the other end by toggle lever 5I, also secured to cylinder I by lugs 68.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 9-12, inclusive, the outer surface of cylinder I is provided with four longitudinal grooves 82 in its surface in the vicinity of the position to be occupied by the four corners of, stereotype plate A when clamped thereon. In these four grooves, in the spacedrelation to each other and to stereotype plate A shown in Fig. l2, are aXed four blocks 'i3 by four screws i8 passing through thervvall of cylinder i. Blocks 'l5 are internally .threaded to engage externally threaded adjusting screws "Il, which have, at one end, a square portion 83 by which they may be engaged by a wrench and a knurled portion le for quick adjustment by hand. The other end of adjusting screws 11 carriesv a ball head 8@ which is held inplace in a slidable block l5 by springvclip 8|. Slidable blocks "i5 are mounted in grooves S12 and contain, at the end opposite the position tol their attachment to screws 1l, a jaw-shaped opening 84 in which they can, be brought into engagement with the edge of stereotype plate A when such a plate is clamped on to cylinder I by means of clamp 2.

Push button 52 is provided to start motor 3. `Upon completion of one cycle, motor 8 is stopped by a limit switch (not shown) operated by cam 53 which is secured to shaft 24.

Stop screws 54 and 54' on main frame 5 are provided to permit a fine adjustment of the limits of angular travel of cutterV bar l. These stops make contact with and limit the motion of crank member Z. Through action of these stops 54 and 54 spring Connection 23 is caused to change the full rotary motion of crank 2l to a reciprocatory motion ,of crank member 2il through .approximately a. right angle. Thus oscillating lever "l'I and gear segment 65 make two full strokes to one revolution of shaft 24.

A stereotype plate -AV t'o be milled is placed on cylinder l roughly positioned laterally between pins 126 and 41 and longitudinally between pins i8 and 9. At this time indicators 43 have been moved out of theway by means of handle 69.

Clamping band 2 is then drawn over plate and securely locked in position by means of toggle lever 5l. Indicators 43 are then returned to their operating position as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, it being understood that a predetermined registry index point on the printing surface of the plate has been fixed. Adjustment of cylinder I, in order to insure that the cutters l5 and Shavers 45 operate in precisely correct register with that index point, is now made by means of hand wheel 35 and 39.

Taking up first the adjustment provided by hand wheel 35, it will be seen that adjusting screw 34 threading in and out of cylinder I will cause bracket 33 to move longitudinally in relation to that cylinder carrying shaft 4I with it. Hence adjustment of hand Wheel 35 will displace segmental shavers 4B with relation to stereotype plate A causing the finished surfaces at C and D, by which plate A is to be located on the press, to be precisely xed longitudinally with respect to the registry index point on its printing surface, as required.

Turning now to the lateral adjustment provided by the dual hand wheels 39, it can readily be seen that adjustment of screw 38 will displace adjusting lever 36 in its relation to extensions S4 of main frame 5 and, since adjusting lever 36 is in engagement with U-shaped bracket 31 which is fastened to cylinder I, movement of hand Wheels 39 will cause rotation of cylinder I in bearings 3 and 4. Thus stereotype plate A is adjusted laterally with respect to the cutting positions of cutters 6, which remain fixed in relation to the main frame 5 by stops 54 and 54'.

The modication of the machine illustrated in Figs. 942 provides for an additional adjustment of the selected registry marks on the face of stereotype plate A with respect to registry index pointers 43, of which there are four.

1t is apparent that the adjustment provided by hand wheels 35 and 39 depends for completeness upon the precise alignment of the printing impression on the face of stereotype plate A with the geometrical axis of that plate. However, in casting stereotype plates there is often a slight misaiignment between the axis of a casting box and the matrix carrying the printing impression. If this misalignment is severe, the plate must be discarded and the matrix reaiigned in the casting box. lf, however, as frequently occurs, this misalignment is a small one, orexample, within the distortion permitted by the elasticlimit of the material making up the stereotype plate, then much time and labor cost can be savedv'at no sacrifice of accuracy by distorting the stereotype plate bearing such Aa misaligned printing impression.

The necessity for such a distortion Will be observed by the operator immediately upon placing plate A on cylinder i and attempting a complete alignment with all four pointers 43 by use of hand wheels 35 and 3B alone. He will find that at best he can register with only two pointers 43 at once, no matter what combination 0f lateral and longitudinal adjustment with these handwheels he tries. Y

To overcome this inability to achieve precise registry, he brings jaws S4 of the four slidable blocks 'l5 into engagement with the edge of stereotype plate A by rapid finger adjustment of adjusting screw l?, as shown in Fig. l0. It will be observed that the shape of jaws 84 is so selected that the eiect of pressure applied byblock l5 is not to lift plateA away from the face of a predetermined amount relative to that slot, moved into cutting position at the other of said slots and moved longitudinally a predetermined amount relative tothat other slot.

3. A stereotype plate-finishing machine comprising a main frame, a cylinder having two longitudinal slots in the walls thereof carried on said frame, means for aiiixing a stereotype plate to the outer surface of said cylinder, a cutter bar journalled in said frame, a plurality `of rotating cutters carried by said cutter bar, a shaft from which said cutters are driven, a countershaft,

speed reduction means for driving said counter-- shaft from said shaft, cam means carried by said countershaft for moving said cylinder once in each direction longitudinally in relation to said cutters for each revolution of said countershaft, means to bring said cutters into cutting position in each of said slots alternately and motor means for driving said shaft and said cutter positioning means in timed relation to one another whereby said cutters are brought to cutting speed, moved into cutting position at one of said slots, moved longitudinally a predetermined amount relative to that slot, moved into cutting position at the other of said slots and moved longitudinally a predetermined amount relative to that other slot.

4. A stereotype plate-iinishing machine comprising a main frame, a cylinder having two longitudinal slots in the walls thereof carried on said frame, means for ailixing a stereotype plate to the outer surface of said cylinder, a cutter bar journalled in said frame, a plurality of rotating cutters carried on said cutter bar, a shaft from which said cutters are driven, a countershaft, speed reduction means for driving said countershaft from said rst-mentioned shaft, a crank carried by said countershaft, a stub shaft, a crank member carried by said stub shaft, a connecting rod linking said crank to said crank member, yielding means associated with said connecting rod whereby thedistance separating the points of attachment of said crank and said crank member may vary, means for limiting the rotation of said stubshaft to less than a complete revolution, an oscillating lever carried by said stub shaft, a block pivotally fixed on said lever, a radial groove in said cutter barin which said block is slidably engaged whereby one revolution of said countershaft3will cause a two-stroke oscillation of said cutterbar in its journals bringing said cutters into cutting position at each of said longitudinal slots alternately, means to move said cylinder longitudinally in relation to said cutters and motor means for` driving said inst-mentioned shaft and said cylinder moving means in timed relation to one another whereby said cutters are brought to cutting speed, moved into cutting position at one of said slots, moved longitudinally a predetermined amount relative to that slot, moved into cutting position at the other of said slots and moved longitudinally a predetermined amount relative to that other slot.

5. A stereotype plate-finishing machine comprising a main frame, a cylinder having two longitudinal slots in the walls thereof carried cn said frame, means for ailixing a stereotype plate to the outer surface of said cylinder, a cutter bar journalled in said frame, a plurality of rotating cutters carried by said cutter bar, means to move said cylinder longitudinally in relation to said cutters, means to bring said cutters into cutting position at each of said slots alternately, shaving means carried by said cylinder Ior shaving lon- 8 gitudinal locating surfaces on a stereotype plate aixed to said cylinder and motor means for driving said cutters, said cylinder moving means, said cutter positioning means, and said shaving means in timed relation to one another whereby said shaving means complete their operation While said cutters are brought to cutting speed, moved into cutting position at one of said slots, moved 1ongitudinally a predetermined amount relative to that slot, moved into cutting position at the other of said slots and moved longitudinally in a predetermined amount relative to that other slot.

6. A stereotype plate-iinishing machine according to claim 4, a second shaft carried by the cylinder, shaving means carried by said second shaft positioned thereon to shave longitudinal locating surfaces on a stereotype plate aiixed to said cylinder, a gear segment carried by the crank member and a pinion afiiXed to said second shaft engaging said segment.

7 A stereotype plate-finishing machine according to claim 1 in which the main frame includes hopper means beneath all cutters having a receptacle cooperating therewith for the collection of shavings from said cutters.

8. A stereotype plate-finishing machine comprising a main frame, a cylinder having two longitudinal slots in the wall thereof slidably mounted on said frame, means for aflixing a stereotype plate to the outer surface of said cylinder, a hollow cutter bar journalled in said frame, a plurality of rotating cutters carried by said cutter bar inside said cylinder, a shaft journalled inside said bar concentric with the journals holding said cutting bar on said frame, means enclosed in said cutter bar for driving said cutters from said'shaft, a countershaft, speed reduction means for driving said countershaft from said shaft, cam means carried at one end of said countershaft for moving said cylinder longitudinally on said frame once in each direction for each revolution of said countershaft, a crank carried on said countershaft at the vopposite end from said camV means, a stub shaft journalled in said frame, a crank member carried by said stub shaft, a connecting rod linking said crank to said crank member, yielding means associated with said connecting rod whereby the distance separating the points oi' attachmentof said crank and said crank member may vary, means for limiting the rotation of said stub shaft to less than a complete revolution, an oscillating lever carried by said stub shaft, a block pivotally ixed on said lever and a radial groove in said cutter bar in which said block is slidably engaged whereby said cutters are brought into cutting position at and moved longitudinally in re# lation to each of said longitudinal slots once for each revolution of said countershaft.

9. A stereotype plate-finishing machine according to claim 8, a second shaft carried by the cylinder, shaving means carried by said second shaft positioned thereon to shave longitudinal locating surfaces on a stereotype plate affixed to said cylinder, agear segment carried by the crank member and a pinion aixed to said second shaft engaging said segment. l

l0. A stereotype plate-finishing machine comprising a mainframe, a cylinder having two longitudinal slots in the Wall thereof slidably and rotatably mounted on said frame, means for anixing a stereotype plate to the outer surface of said cylinder, a cutter bar journalled in said frame, a plurality of rotating cutters carried by said cutter bar inside said cylinder, means to i@ move said cylinder longitudinally in relation to ,Y 9 said cutters, index'm'eans car vied by said frame, means der. adjusting the extent? or .longitudinal motion of said cylinder with respect to' said index means, means-for adjustingthe position of said (cylinder, about its axis of attachment to said frame'in respect to said index means, nie'an's'to bringsaid cutters into cutting position at each of fsaid slots alternately, and inotor means for drivingsaidcutters, said Vcyliniil'er moving means, and 'said cutter positioning means in timed relation to one another whereby said cutters are brought to 'cutting speed, moved into cutting position at one of said slots, moved longitudinally a predetermined amount relative to that slot, moved into cutting position at the other of said slots and moved longitudinally a predetermined amount relative to that other slot.

11. A stereotype plate-finishing machine comprising a main frame, a cylinder having two longitudinal slots in the walls thereof, journal extensions at either end of said cylinder coaxial therewith slidably and rotatably carried by said frame, means for aiiixing a stereotype plate to the outer surface of said cylinder, a cutter bar journalled in said frame, a plurality of rotating cutters carried by said cutter bar inside said cylinder, index means carried by said frame for determining the position of said cylinder longitudinally and laterally with respect to said frame, a shaft journalled in said frame coaxially with the journals of said cutter bar, means for driving said cutters from said shaft, a countershaft, speed reduction means for driving said countershaft from said shaft, cam means carried by one end of said countershaft, a lever pivotally affixed to said frame, a cam follower at one end of said lever engaging said cam means, a bracket coaxially rotatably and slidably carried by one of the journal extensions of said cylinder, means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said bracket with respect to said cylinder, pivot means connecting the other end of said lever to said bracket, means to bring said cutters to cutting position at each of said longitudinal slots alternately, an adjusting lever pivoted coaxially .g

about the other of said journal extensions of said cylinder, a second bracket xed to said cylinder displaced from the axis thereof and cooperating with the lever arm of said adjusting lever, an adjusting screw carried by said frame, a nut on said screw engaging said lever arm, and motor means for driving said shaft and said cutter positioning means in timed relation to one another whereby said cutters are brought to cutting speed, moved into cutting position at one of said slots, moved longitudinally a predetermined amount relative to that slot, moved into cutting position at the other of said slots and moved longitudinally a predetermined amount relative to that other slot.

12. A stereotype plate-finishing machine conprising a main frame, a cylinder having two longitudinal slots in the Walls therecf, journal extensions at either end of said cylinder coaxial therewith slidably and rotatably carried by said frame, means for aixing a stereotype plate to the outer surface of vsaid cylinder, a cutter bar journalled in said frame, a plurality of rotating cutters parried by said cutter bar inside said cylinder, index means carried by said frame for determining the position of said cylinder longitudinally and laterally with respect to said frame, a shaft journalled in said frame coaxially with the journals of said cutter bar, means. for driving said cutters from said shaft, a counterassista l A 10 shaft, speed reduction means for. driving said countershaft from said shaft, 'cam means carried by one end of said countershaft, a lever pivotally affixed to said frame, a cam follower at one end of s'aid lever engaging said cam means, a first bracket coaxially-rotatably and slidably carried by One ofthejournalextensions of said cylinder, means for adjusting the longitudinal position of said rst bracket with respect to said cylinder, pivot means connecting the other end of said lever to said first bracket, a crank carried on said countershaft at the opposite end from said cam means, a stub shaft journalled in said frame, a crank member carried by said stub shaft, a connecting rod linking said crank to said crank member, yielding means associated with said connecting rod whereby the distance separating the points of attachment of said crank and said crank member may vary, means for limiting the rotation of said stub shaft to less than a complete revolution, an oscillating lever carried by said stub shaft, a block pivotally fixed on said lever, a radial groove in said cutter bar in which said block is slidably engaged, an. adjusting lever pivoted coaxially about the other of said journal extensions of said cylinder, a second bracket affixed to said cylinder displaced fro-m the axis thereof and cooperating with the lever arm of said adjusting lever, an adjusting screw carried by said frame, a nut on said screw engaging said lever arm, and motor means for driving said shaft, the profile of said,

cam means being so disposed that said cam follower makes one complete stroke in each longitudinal direction during a single revolution of said countershaft, said longitudinal motion taking place only during periods when said stub shaft is stationary.

13. A stereotype plate-finishing machine according to claim 12, a second shaft journalled in the cylinder and the first bracket longitudinally slidable with respect to said cylinder and longitudinally fixed with respect to said rst bracket, shaving means carried by said second shaft positioned thereon to shave longitudinal Y locating surfaces on a stereotype plate aixed to said cylinder, a gear segment carried by the crank member and a pinion aixed to said sec ond shaft engaging said segment.

14. In a stereotype plate finishing machine, in combination, a cylinder having longitudinal slots at circumferentially spaced points in the wall thereof, means for clamping a stereotype plate to the outer surface of said cylinder in a position to extend over said slots, a milling cutter within said cylinder, a pivoted support for said cutter having an axis extending longitudinally of the cylinder and means for alternately moving said cutter laterally of the cylinder and outwardly thereof through said respective slots to cut pockets at spaced points in said plates.

l5. A stereotype plate finishing machine comprising a cylinder having a clamp extending circumferentially adjacent its cylindrical surface for clamping a stereotype plate between said clamp and said surface and a plurality of ad- .lusting blocks carried by said cylinder and adjustably movable along its surface adapted to engage a stereotype plate thereon near its oorners and to impose a distorting stress to it.

16. A stereotype plate finishing machine comprising a cylinder havingr a clamp extending circumferentially adjacent its cylindrical surface for clamping a stereotype plate between said clamp and will surface, a plurality of slidable 1l members carried by said cylinder adapted to REFERENCES CITED engage a Stereotype plate thereon near its cor The following references are of record in the ners, and screw means carried by said cylinder me of this patent:

adapted selectively to press said members into adjustably forceable engagement with such a I UNITED STATES PATENTS plate, Number Name Date y CHARLES L. RICARDS. 1,125,179 Roesen Jan. 19, 1915 ISIDOR TORNBERG. 1,529,576 Collins Mar. 10, 1925 1,876,204 Christman Sept. 6, 1932 

